Police seals venue of PDP’s convention

Rivers Commissioner of Police, Mr Francis Odesanya, has said that the police prevented people from entering Sharks stadium, venue of the Peoples Democratic Party`s (PDP) national convention due to court order.

Delegates and journalists, who went to the venue as early as 6.00 a.m. were prevented from entering the stadium by security operatives.

“Our actions are in line with court order. The time we moved in is not relevant. Police has been there and we are always everywhere.

“We are always providing security everywhere and it is our primary assignment to make sure everywhere in the state is well secured,” Odesanya said.

Odesanya said he could not speak for INEC and other government agencies on the matter.

He explained that the police did not seal off the venue but were providing security.

“The force Public Relations Officer has already spoken on the issue and I will not speak further. Henceforth, direct your inquiries to the Force PRO,” he said.

NAN correspondents who visited the venue reports that delegates were shocked by security operatives who prevented them from entering.

NAN also observed that only fellow security operatives were allowed to enter the stadium.

Mrs Mary Onah, a delegate from Ebonyi, said she was shocked that the venue had been closed and delegates prevented from entering.

“I arrived here as early as 6.00 a.m. with other delegates from our state only to be told we could not go in. We are confused and do not know what is really happening,” she said.

Alhjaji Mohammed Muntari, a delegate from Kano, expressed similar sentiments when told that he could not enter the venue.

“Honestly, I was taken aback when the police prevented us from entering the stadium. We will meet our party leaders to get more briefings on the situation and then know the way forward,” Muntari said.

Another delegate from Ogun, Mr Balogun Olamide, said he did not anticipate that the convention would not take place.

“We thought that all is well only to come here and be prevented from entering. We will consult our party leaders to get more briefings,” Olamide said.

Mrs Talatu Ali, a delegate from Kogi, said that the decision to prevent the delegates from entering was an indication that the convention would not hold.

“Let’s wait and see what happens later in the day and think of the next line of action,” Ali said.

NAN also reports that majority of the delegates had left the stadium and gone back to their hotels while more were seen at the state PDP secretariat on Aba Road, Port Harcourt.

NAN also reports that all the access roads leading to the venue had been blocked by police armoured personnel carriers, while cars that are not of the security operatives were not allowed in.